 Id-Dar tal-Providenza is a home that provides therapeutic, medical, educational and spiritual care to the 100 residents living in the three villas in which the same home is divided. The brainchild of Mons. Michael Azzopardi, and situated in Siggiewi, Malta, the Dar tal-Providenza opened its doors for the first time in February 1968 to provide twenty-four hour, seven days a week care to people with disabilities, as well as support to their relatives. Its main aim is to care for the residents with love and to give them the possibility to develop the necessary social skills to enable them to reach their maximum potential fully integrated within today's society, as was the wish of Mons. Azzopardi himself. It all started in September 1965 when Mons. Azzopardi aired his 'dream' on a radio programme. A young lady listening to the programme became the first benefactor when she donated Lm100, money she had saved for a holiday abroad. By January 1967, the Dar tal-Providenza had acquired its home-base, and by February 1968, thanks to the services offered by the nuns of the Congregation of Sisters of St Jeanne Antide Thouret, who still work at the Dar tal-Providenza until this very day, the Home could receive its first three residents in Villa Monsignor Gonzi.
 Villa Papa Giovanni was built between 1971 and 1974, and was designed to accommodate 80 residents. Mons. Michael Azzopardi passed away on 13th May 1987, and is appropriately buried at the Dar tal-Providenza itself. Mons. Lawrence Gatt was chosen by Archbishop Joseph Mercieca to be the second director.
1987 saw the inauguration of the third villa, Villa Papa Luciani. This residence was designed to house thirty semi independent senior citizens and young adults. 10 years later, four residents moved to "Zerniq" a small house in Mons. Mikiel Azzopardi Street, in the village of Siggiewi, to experience "Supported Living" in a homely environment.
These last few years id-Dar tal-Providenza has been affiliated with a foreign agency from Glasgow (Scotland) called SPRED Special Religious Development which offers a network of services designed to assist persons with intellectual disabilities to become integrated into parish assemblies of worship through the process of education in faith.
The symbol chosen for the Dar tal-Providenza, that of a wilting flower being gently nursed back to health, serves as a constant reminder of the Home's commitment to the welfare and nurturing of all those living in the same home.
 Today, the Dar tal-Providenza is led by Fr. Martin Micallef, who in 2008 succedeed Mgr. Lawrence Gatt after 21 years of directorship of the same Homes. 245 staff ably supported by around 120 volunteers care for the 100 residents living at the Dar tal-Providenza. Around 70% of the staff employed at the Homes has the responsibility of caring for the residents. The rest make up the staff within the ancillary sector (laundry and kitchen, administration, maintenance, etc.)
Id-Dar Tal-Providenza, which is built on faith in Divine Providence, relies entirely on the generosity of its benefactors and the public donations it receives to fund the very high level of care its residents need in order to help them towards their eventual integration into society. The support of its benefactors and the numerous volunteers who dedicate so much of their ‘free time’ to raise money for its residents, enable the Dar Tal-Providenza to realise a minimum annual income of €3.5 million to maintain these very high levels of care.
The motto of the Dar tal-Providenza says it all: Our commitment to nurture those in our care… … is set in stone
For more information you can contact the Dar Tal-Providenza at:
 Id-Dar Tal-ProvidenzaLimiti ta' Ghar Lapsi Siggiewi, SGW 2822
Malta
 21462844
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Id-Dar Tal-Providenza |
